BEESCENE WINTER 2019/2020 | Volume 35 #4 Promoting and Encouraging Beekeeping in British Columbia since 1920 To: VOLUME 35, #4 WINTER 2019/2020 1 2 VOLUME 35, #4 WINTER 2019/2020 Letter from the editors . The trip home from our meetings, though often a long one, is Since the AGM we’ve lost several other members of our a good time to think about the topics discussed but returning beekeeping community, and memories about them are also from Prince George had me thinking more about the people in this issue. Smiley Nelson from the North Okanagan Club in our beekeeping community. What a great group of people was clearly one of a kind. I had been in touch with him for a who make up the PG club, and it was obvious how hard they club profile a little while back, and it was easy to tell that he worked to host the meeting. It was nice to see more beekeepers had a generous and good-natured disposition and that he was attending from the northern parts of the province, including a an important part of their local group. As his friend Richard good friend from Hudson’s Hope that I hadn’t seen in too long. Plantinga told me, “Smiley somehow managed to use the I was also fortunate to sit with one of our guest speakers at the qualities of honey bees, as seen in the way he lived his life - banquet. We didn’t talk much about bees but instead shared getting along with others and getting things done.” His friend stories about our lives, and she revealed depths of character I Carol Harvey said about him, “Smiley was truly the go-to guy didn’t expect. Unfortunately the speakers haven’t participated for our club. Whenever I would phone him about a problem in this issue, but we’ll follow up with them for the next one. with one of my hives, his answer was always the same – ‘I’ll Also during the banquet, a few long time members shared be right there.’” memories about Blaine Hardie, who passed away in August. Like Blaine, Lew Truscott will be remembered as another It was perhaps the most interesting and moving part of the who wasn’t afraid to speak his mind. He was involved in weekend. Blaine and his wife Jan have been an important beekeeping since the 1950s and was his life was defined by part of the association for many years, and he will be greatly hard work and honesty. Lew sent a letter to us a few years missed. Blaine had a powerful presence at the meetings, and ago which listed things he ‘thought he knew’ about bees, and I admit that for a long time I was a little intimidated by him. was an example of his independent thinking, humility and However, at our semi-annual meeting this year I shared a pioneering spirit. At the end of the letter he talked about how meal with him, Jan and some other friends, and got a quick some beekeepers from around the province were beginning to glimpse under the surface. Once again first impressions came become successful in overwintering their bees, and that the up short. I spoke mainly to Jan that night but got a sense of the broader beekeeping community should pay attention to the closeness and loyalty in their family, and learned that under ingenuity of individual beekeepers in overcoming obstacles. his gruff demeanor was something rare that held their friends Lew’s dedication to beekeeping is summed up by his daughter and family together. Recently Jan shared the eulogy she wrote Susan: “Beekeeping was definitely his life and all of ours for him, including his history of strong family ties as well as as well. The only holidays we had when I was little were tales from his childhood in northern Saskatchewan. Two of the going to look at new bee yards in out of town places. And latter that stood out: when he and his brothers were still small, summers were spent selling honey and fruit. But looking back, all three rode their horse to school with honey pails as lunch I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.” buckets. And according to one of his aunts, as a young child A tribute is also made to Margriet Dogterom in these pages, Blaine was very shy and often cried until he was returned who began her journey with bees decades ago. She spent some home; as Jan noted in her eulogy, it’s hard to believe. time as an Apiary Inspector in BC and also over 10 years in Mark Winston’s lab. She is well known in bee-related circles, more recently for her work promoting mason bees. I have also been interested to learn that among her other achievements, she took over the BCHPA newsletter in 1984 and the following year turned it into the BeesCene, creating the format that is still in use today. Our current archivist met with her this past summer as she was interested in donating an extensive library of beekeeping related publications to the BCHPA, including material that was passed down through several generations of beekeepers, a valuable addition to our archives. Margriet contributed a great deal to bee research and awareness and had a big impact on those who knew her. Our condolences to the families and friends of these four unusually bright lights, we were blessed to have them. Best wishes also to everyone for the holiday season ahead. ❀ Blaine Hardie photo by Paul van Westendorp EDITORIAL & ADVERTISING: Heather Sosnowski 12180 Hislop Road, Telkwa, BC V0J 2X1 tel 250-877-3495 email: [email protected] Additional Editing & Proofing: Ian Bissonnette – [email protected] Graphic Design & Layout: Jill Schick - [email protected] Printer: International Web Express Inc., Coquitlam, BC Publisher: BC Honey Producers’ Association www.bchoneyproducers.ca Publications Mail Sales Agreement No.40828130 VOLUME 35, #4 WINTER 2019/2020 3 BCHPA CENTRAL EXECUTIVE AND REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVES 2020 PRESIDENT Kerry Clark THOMPson-NICOLA Amber Michaud PO Box 2090, Dawson Creek, BC V1G 4K8 281 McGill Road, Kamloops, BC V2C 1M2 tel 250.782.6646 tel 778.257.0362 email: [email protected] email: [email protected] 1ST Vice-PRESIDENT Dan Mawson NORTH OKANAGAN Rick Plantinga 1613 West Creston Road, Creston, BC V0G 1G7 24-1101 Cameron Ave., Kelowna, BC V1Y 8V7 tel 250.215.0037 tel 250.712.9496 email: [email protected] [email protected] 2ND Vice-PRESIDENT Jeff Lee SOUTH OKANAGAN Blair Tarves 220 East Placsko Road, Creston, BC V0B 1G5 208 Ritchie Drive, Cawston, BC V0X 1C2 tel 604.328.5028 tel 250.499.2555 email: [email protected] email: [email protected] SECRETARY Michalina Hunter SOUTH VANCOUVER ISLAND Paul Petersen PO Box 2215, Garibaldi Highlands, BC V0N 1T0 PO Box 6, Cobble Hill, BC V0R 1L0 tel 604.355.2991 tel 259.732.0197 email: [email protected] email: [email protected] TREASURER Irene Tiampo NORTH VANCOUVER ISLAND Vacant PO Box 5609 Station B, Victoria, BC V8R 6S4 SUNSHINE COAST Allan Cobbin tel 250.216.7601 2737 Lower Road, Roberts Creek, BC V0N 2W4 email: [email protected] tel 604.886.7006 CANADIAN HONEY COUNCIL REP Stan Reist email: [email protected] 6124 Metral Drive, Nanaimo BC V9T 2L6 FRASER VALLEY Courtney White tel 250.390.2313 3266 268th Street, Aldergrove, BC V4W 3G6 email: [email protected] tel 604.309.1684 PRINCE GEORGE Barry Clark email: [email protected] 18835 Ness Lake Road, Prince George, BC V2K 5L7 TERRAce-SMITHERS Christine McDonald tel 250.967.4141 4902 Labelle Ave, Terrace, BC V8G 4M8 email: [email protected] tel 250.615.3534 CARIBOO Carole Mahood eamail: [email protected] 1537 Chimney Valley Rd, Williams Lake, BC V2G 4W6 tel 250.267.9987 BOONE, HODGSON, WILKINSON TRUST FUND email:[email protected] Christina Rozema 3072 York Road, Campbell River, BC V9H 1A8 WEST KOOTENAYS Tom Bell tel 250.923.9466 1960 Pass Creek Road, Castlegar, BC V1N 4S8 [email protected] tel 250.304.6993 email: [email protected] EDUCATION Ian Farber EAST KOOTENAYS Lance Cuthill 3249 Schubert Rd, Kamloops, BC V2B 6Y4 4300 Wilks Rd, Cranbrook, BC V1C 6S9 tel 250.579.8518 tel 250.426.6049 email: [email protected] email: [email protected] ARCHIVES Ted Hancock METRO VANCOUVER Allen Garr General Delivery, Dog Creek, BC V0L 1J0 2750 West 14th Ave., Vancouver, BC V6K 2X2 tel 250.440.5689 tel 604.736.4184 email: [email protected] email: [email protected] PEACE RIVER Kerry Clark PO Box 2090, Dawson Creek, BC V1G 4K8 tel 250.782.6646 email: [email protected] 4 VOLUME 35, #4 WINTER 2019/2020 BEESCENE WINTER 2019-2020 | VOLUME 35 #4 In This Issue Message from the President 6 Beelines 7 A Bright Future with Bees 10 UBC Update 12 Research Review 14 Cover Story: Port Alberni beekeeper Joanne Callender Apimondia Review 16 showing off some late season brood, most of which have emerged to become long-lived winter bees. Bee BC Projects 19 Joanne is an up-and-coming Market Gardener with a passion for relearning forgotten skills. Of beekeeping she says, "I still have so much learn, but I am captivated Builder’s Corner 25 by bees; they way the live together and the myriad of ways they support all I do as a small scale farmer." AGM Review 27 Photo by Don Fowler An Old Beekeeper Goes Back to School: Part 5 31 ULTIMATE DEFENCE! Club Contacts 32 In Tribute – Blaine Hardie 33 Protect Your Investments! In Tribute – John Nelson 35 Complete ELECTRIC NET SYSTEMS In Tribute – Lew Truscott 36 Electric Nets are Highly Portable In Tribute – Margriet Dogterom 38 Complete with posts Available in BCBBA Listings 41 26” - 48” High x 164’ or 82’ Lengths AGM Minutes 43 Pair up with the DEFENDER Dual Purpose Clips from the Past 49 Fence Controller which uses the latest fencing technology OR Regional Reports 50 4 & 15 MILE SOLAR Controllers ..